Best Day Trips from Split, Croatia
Are you looking for the best day trips from Split, Croatia?
Split is a historic city on Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast. Some of the top things to do include wandering the ancient Diocletian’s Palace, hiking up to Marjan Park for amazing views, and checking out nearby beaches.
But Split is also a great location for taking day trips. When I stayed in Split, I used it as a base for taking several nearby day trips, and I highly recommend you do the same. You can see the highlights of Split in a day or two, but stay for a few extra days if you want to explore more of Croatia on awesome day trips.
You can rent a car in Split (I recommend checking DiscoverCars for the best rates) for maximum flexibility, but many of these day trips are also doable by bus from Split. Some of them require you to take a boat, so I’ve noted where you can take the ferry on your own and where you need to book a tour.
Ready for the best day trips from Split? Let’s get into it!
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Best Day Trips from Split, Croatia:
- Blue Cave and islands tour from Split
- Krka National Park tour from Split
- Full-day catamaran cruise with lunch and unlimited drinks
Blue Cave
One of the best day trips from Split is the Blue Cave. This is a sea cave with a unique neon blue color that you can visit by boat, and usually on a tour that also includes other stops around the Dalmatian Coast. A boat tour is the best and most economical way to experience the Blue Cave. This is the tour that I did.
In addition to visiting the Blue Cave, you also stop at three islands (including the famous island of Hvar) and a swimming cove. It’s a fun full-day excursion from Split if you want to get out on the water.
Trogir
Trogir is an easy day trip from Split. It’s just a 30-minute drive or bus ride to this coastal town. The highlight of Trogir is its well-preserved Old Town, which is located on a small island off the mainland.
You can cross over to the island by bridges from the mainland, and it’s well worth spending a couple of hours strolling around the Old Town. This is a good day trip to do independently, or you can combine it with another destination like this full-day tour visiting Trogir and Krka National Park.
Hvar
Speaking of Hvar, it’s another great day trip from Split. This large island is known for being a glitzy party destination and in the summer you will see tons of yachts in and around Hvar Town. The town is fun to explore and there are some great beaches nearby. It’s the perfect place to spend an afternoon.
If you want to visit Hvar on your own, you can easily get there by ferry. It takes a little over an hour to get from Split to Hvar Town, and ferries run multiple times per day (very frequently in the summer, and less frequently during the off season.) You should book tickets online in advance for the best price.
You can also visit Hvar as part of a tour. The Blue Cave and islands tour I did gives you about three hours of free time in Split. This full-day catamaran cruise is another option and it includes a stop in Hvar for two hours and stops at several other islands, along with lunch and unlimited drinks onboard.
Brac
If you want to visit an island from Split, another good option aside from Hvar is Brac. Brac is less touristy and expensive than Hvar, but equally as beautiful. This makes it an attractive option.
You can get to Brac on your own by taking the ferry. From Split, it’s about a one-hour ferry ride. Note that you can take the ferry to Supetar or Bol — Bol has the better beaches and is more popular.
Another option is taking a full-day boat tour like this one. It includes stops in Hvar and Brac, where you’ll have 1.5 hours in the town of Milna. Lunch onboard and drinks are also included in this tour.
Krka National Park
Another one of the best day trips from Split is Krka National Park. This beautiful national park is just over an hour from Split by car, or a little longer if you take the bus, and it’s definitely worth a visit!
Krka National Park is filled with stunning waterfalls and lush foliage. It’s easy to walk around because there are wooden boardwalks throughout the whole park. Your entry ticket to the park also includes a boat ride.
I personally visited Krka National Park on my own from Split, but I had an issue getting back on the bus so I would hesitate to recommend this, especially for solo travelers. The return bus was over an hour late, it had gotten dark, and there was hardly anyone around since the national park was closed. I ended up accepting a ride from two young Croatian guys who were very kind and helpful, but it was a stressful experience.
(Side note: This was not an uncommon experience for me with buses in Croatia. Maybe it was just bad luck, but I’ve never been anywhere else in Europe with buses that were as slow or late as in Croatia.)
So I’d probably just book an organized tour like this one that includes guaranteed transportation and hardly costs more than the bus. Or consider this full-day tour which combines a visit to Krka National Park with a stop in Trogir, another beautiful and historic town along the Dalmatian Coast.
Sibenik
Sibenik is another city along Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast that makes for an excellent day trip from Split. It’s about a one-hour drive or 1.5 hours by bus. Sibenik wasn’t even on my radar but I ended up visiting it and was pleasantly surprised by it — I actually wish I had been able to spend more time there!
Like Split, Sibenik has a historic Old Town. Sibenik’s Old Town actually reminded me more of Dubrovnik, with its polished stone buildings and red-tiled roofs. There are also some great beaches nearby.
Plitvice Lakes National Park
Another national park you can visit from Split is Plitvice Lakes National Park. While Plitvice Lakes is impressive, if you only have time for one national park from Split, I would recommend Krka instead.
That’s because Plitvice Lakes is much further away (2.5 hours versus one hour) and much larger. You could easily spend two days at Plitvice Lakes whereas Krka is more manageable in just one day.
There’s no bus between Split and Plitvice Lakes National Park, so your best option is either driving yourself or taking a tour like this one that includes transportation and a local guide.
Mostar
Finally, if you’re looking to visit a whole new country on a day trip from Split, head to Mostar! This historic city is located in Bosnia & Herzegovina and it’s about 2.5 hours by car from Split.
I was not able to visit Mostar because at the time I was in Split (May of 2021) the border to Bosnia & Herzegovina was closed to tourists. However, Mostar is still on my list to visit in the near future!
While you can get from Split to Mostar by bus, it takes over four hours so it’s not worth it for just a day trip. Your best option is driving yourself or taking an organized tour like this one for less hassle. The tour includes transportation and a local guide, and you’ll visit Mostar along with Kravica Waterfall Park.
Day Trips from Split
This guide showed you the best day trips from Split, Croatia.
If you only have time for two day trips from Split, my personal top picks would be the Blue Cave and islands tour (or another boat tour) so you can experience getting out on the water and seeing the gorgeous coastline. And then Krka National Park so you can enjoy more of the natural beauty Croatia has to offer.
Have a great time in Split!
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